A 54-year-old man from Meqheleng, Ficksburg, has been arrested for the attempted rape of an eight-year-old girl.
On Thursday, 20 June, at about 18:00, the neighbour of the suspect sent the young girl to a nearby shop to buy cigarettes and a box of matches.
The family became worried when the girl did not return within the expected time.
When searching for her, the girl’s family found the suspect and the girl in the suspect’s room. Both were undressed.
The girl told her family what had happened before they found her, and they reported the incident to the police.
A case of attempted rape is now being investigated. The suspect will appear in the Ficksburg Magistrates’ Court on charges of attempted rape.
WO Mmako Mophiring, spokesperson for the police, says that parents must protect their children.
“Adults should really refrain from sending minors to shops to buy things like cigarettes or alcohol. It is also against the law to sell cigarettes or liquor to minors.”
